My foundation had already supported me in obtaining my higher education entrance qualification via the second educational pathway. Therefore, I already knew the admission requirements for the study support.

I was dissatisfied in my previous job as an electronics technician for automation technology and used this situation for a personal reorientation - I wanted to catch up on my high school diploma and quit. It was important to me to be able to concentrate fully on my second school career and to be on a secure financial footing. During an Internet search, I came across the Hans Böckler Foundation.

It is one of the few foundations in Germany that supports second-chance education and thus also students from working-class families.

The Hans Böckler Foundation is a foundation with close ties to trade unions. In my professional past, I was involved in co-determination within the company and thus had a connection to the foundation that suited me well and was welcomed by the foundation. My main commitment, however, lies in my many years of voluntary leadership of a self-help group for people who stutter. I myself am a stutterer and, in addition to the local group, volunteer in an active community at the state and national level.

Of course, good performance is looked at in order to be included in the funding. However, the Hans-Böckler-Foundation also considers applicants who are socially, especially socio-politically engaged, and who are already positively shaping society.

The support I received as a student at the time enabled me to pass a very good school-leaving examination. Financial independence meant that I had more time to study. Without this support, my Abitur grade would certainly have been worse. This also applies to my current teacher training program. Especially in times of the Corona pandemic, I appreciate the support and financial independence even more than before.

Through my course of studies "Teacher training for special needs education" my goal at the end of my studies is pretty clear - I want to become a teacher. In addition to the usual wishes of future teachers, namely to accompany children and young people on their way to becoming self-thinking and reflective adults, I hope that my own impairment as a possible positive example will encourage and show that there is more potential in you than you might have thought. Also because of my own, rather less straightforward life path.

I was already committed before and not only since I knew that I wanted to apply for a scholarship. Initially, of course, it was also self-interest due to my own stuttering problems. However, my commitment quickly exceeded my own exclusive benefit and went to the point that I wanted to give something and not just be a consumer. Perhaps one of the characteristics of a scholarship holder is to be committed to a cause from which others also benefit to a particular extent.

At the beginning of my application, I initially focused on financial support. It wasn't until the introductory seminar that I realized how diverse the non-material support is and what opportunities it opens up. For example, in addition to language trips abroad, a wide variety of programs are offered on all current social topics - and this at locations throughout Germany as well as abroad. Here you get the opportunity to network with many other scholarship holders.

It is up to each individual to decide to what extent the idealistic support is utilized. However, the Hans Böckler Foundation expects that there is interest in the offers and that at least a few of them are attended.

Don't wait too long to apply for a scholarship. If you are too far advanced in your studies, it might already be too late for your current course of studies. You can read more about the various constellation possibilities and deadlines on the homepage of the Hans Böckler Foundation.

Apply if you are committed to a cause. Even if your performance is rather average, you should give it a try. Of course, the Hans Böckler Foundation wants to support students who perform well or very well. However, performance alone is not enough, but also your commitment, with which you can possibly compensate for deficits in your performance.

Do not shy away from the application process. There are application forms to fill out and personal interviews through several instances. However, you should not let this stop you. Unfortunately, this process drags on for a long time, which would be impossible to do otherwise given the volume of applications.